


Lily of the Valley

by keeperofthefour



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Choking, Domestic Violence, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Heartbreak, Hospitals, Love lost and love found
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24120484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperofthefour/pseuds/keeperofthefour
Summary: Warnings: DEFINITELY NSFW. Themes of domestic abuse, mental illness, self harm, attempted murder(?), explicit sex, possessiveness, dark infatuation, obsession.Text messages taken from the game are indicated with (*).Uh, hold onto your hats, ladies and gents. You’ve been warned.Two songs that gave me the feels:billie eilish: hostageDave Matthew’s Band: two step
Relationships: Choi Saeran/Main Character, Han Jumin/Main Character
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	Lily of the Valley

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I'm currently immersed in the deep, deep waters of this game, and I have ALL THE FEELINGS for these characters.  
> Find me on tumblr @truth-be-told-im-lying

Lily of the Valley.

Delicate. Fragile. Sweet-smelling. 

_Poisonous_ …not unlike the giver. You smiled, more to yourself than anyone around who might see, fingertips caressing the miniature white flowers. A certain melancholy settled in as you blinked away tears, not wanting to ruin your makeup. 

_Never in a million years had you ever dreamed you would end up here. Not so long ago, you were a struggling student, alone in a city that felt larger than the entirety of your home state. High-rises, billboards, and traffic jams became your new normal as you traversed the sidewalks after classes each day, retreating to your third floor, studio apartment in the middle of a bustling theater district._

_The day you downloaded the app, you had opted to ride the subway. Having just left the confines of your biology lab, a quick glance at an ominous sky and the earthy smell of impending rain had you digging through your purse for your ride pass in lieu of the long walk home. As you settled in, stashing your backpack beneath your seat, you scrolled through your phone to kill the boredom settling in. One particular new app caught your eye, and nearly as soon as it was loaded, your message notification sounded._

_*…Hello…?_

_*?_

_*Can you see this?_

_*Who are you?_

_*I’m sure you’re surprised._

_*It’s not everyday you get a text from a stranger._

_And the rest, as they say, is history._

A gentle knock upon your door brought you back to reality, and you cleared your throat, touching fingertips to the corners of your eyes to check errant tears.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s Jaehee. May I come in?”

“Of course.” Peeking her head in first, she opened the door just a hair wider and slipped through the small space she created, careful to close it quietly. One look at you and her jaw went slack, hand flying up to cover her mouth.

“Oh! You look…stunning. The dress…it suits you.” 

An easy smile formed upon your lips, and you stood, laying your bouquet aside, smoothing out the fine white silk over countless layers of crinoline. “You look wonderful too, Jaehee. Yellow is your color,” you said, glad that you picked such a vibrant hue for your maid-of-honor to wear. In her hand, she clutched her own bundle of flowers: yellow tulips, bound together by a simple satin ribbon. She had quickly become your confidant when you were tossed into the middle of Rika’s Fundraising Association, so it came as no surprise when you asked her to stand with you at your wedding.

“Are you ready? It’s almost time, and I think your husband-to-be might pass out on the spot at any time.”

You laughed, nervous energy apparent in your tone. “Then we’d better hurry. I don’t want to keep him waiting any longer.”

_If you were to be completely honest with yourself, there was a time that you might have fallen for any of them. Alone, confused, and holed up in Rika’s apartment, you had little else to do with your time besides study and chat with the members of RFA. Yoosung and his boyish charm kept you smiling on your worst days. Even Jaehee had her appeal at times, and you found yourself comforted by her simplicity, her matter-of-fact way of dealing with Jumin’s ostentatious demands. Zen, always the playboy, drew you in with his good looks, but his ego proved to be a bit much for your taste. Besides, he and Jaehee were better together than either of them could have ever imagined. V and his tragic story had you tangled in a dangerous web of lies and deceit, and Seven always kept you on the edge of your seat with jokes aplenty, his quirky sense of humor a guise for the dark undercurrent of his dangerous profession and tortured past._

_But what you weren’t expecting was the enigma that was Saeran. How he took everything you thought you knew about life and love and tossed it out the window, taking you on a roller coaster ride of emotional turmoil that left you reeling. His fragile, unpredictable mental state was no fault of his own, but you simply didn’t possess the tools to handle his special brand of instability. Oh, you wanted to love him. And you did. Over and over again, a reckless, all-consuming sort of love that left you little time for anything else. His appetite for you was insatiable, and you found yourself in many a compromising position— skirt hiked over your hips when he pinned you against a brick wall on your way home from a show, his hungry mouth devouring you at your core before he thrust his cock inside you, desperate for your warmth. Bent over a leaky bathroom sink in some filthy, hole-in-the-wall dive bar, his hand at your throat as he fucked you from behind, watching your contorted expression in the fogged mirror._

_Your mutual obsession went on for months, and you found yourself experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with Saeran. His mood swings became terrifying and violent, and you realized— almost too late— that you were in way over your head. He was damaged beyond repair, but you loved every broken part of him. It was a dangerous infatuation, one that made you question even your own mental health the further in with him you spiraled._

_And spiral, you did. Completely and irrevocably out of control. Saeran’s turbulent past and your growing uncertainty proved the catalyst to your ultimate demise, and it was Jumin Han who picked up the pieces when you thought you couldn’t go on. It was Jumin who mended your broken spirit and shattered heart._

_His affections came as a welcome distraction. He was awkward and adorably uptight when he visited your hospital bed after the car accident that almost killed you. Saeran had gone off on an insane, jealous tirade, convinced that you had been flirting with Zen at that evening’s fundraiser. You had curled into yourself in the passenger seat of his car, hot tears falling silently down your cheeks. Dizzy and drunk from the wine you had overindulged in, you felt your stomach lurch when he screamed at you._

_“LOOK AT ME! Don’t you dare ignore me when I’m talking to you!” He reached over to grab your arm, cruel fingers digging into soft flesh. You were too scared to pull away, so you let him squeeze, closing your eyes, biting your lip._

_His foot on the gas pressed further until you were convinced that the car was airborne. The last thing you remembered before the impact was the deafening rush of wind against your ear and his voice rising into a manic frenzy of cursing and incoherent screaming._

_You woke up in the hospital three days later, startled to find yourself intubated, a machine at your bedside breathing for you. Jumin was there, too, and jumped from his chair when he heard your muffled, frightened moan, signaling for a nurse immediately._

_Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and you healed. Physically, emotionally, mentally. You didn’t see Saeran again for a long time; he seemed to disappear altogether after his own discharge from the hospital, and not even 707, Defender of the Galaxy! could track him down. Life as you knew it began again._

_Jumin’s experience with women was limited, but he was so careful and tender with you in every way. He insisted on moving you into his penthouse right away, convinced that your old city apartment was unsafe, worried that Saeran would find his way back to you and incite the cycle of abuse all over again. Seven warned you that Jumin himself could get dangerously possessive, but you never worried. You had grown strong in the face of your adversity, and you were able— quite impressively— to keep him in check. You learned that Jumin loved hard, he loved fast and pure and with such intensity it brought you to your knees._

_But he never pressured you to do anything against your will. In those first few weeks of healing from the accident, he worked from home, with Jaehee at the helm of operations in the office. They held video conferences when Jumin’s presence was necessary, and he hired the best nurse and physical therapist in the city to be at your disposal, ensuring a rapid return to normalcy. Day by day, you regained strength and mobility. Angry bruises faded away, wounds healed, and your heart burst all over again with the promise of love the way it was meant to be._

_The first time he kissed you was quite by accident. No, really. The two of you were nestled together on the expanse of his couch, engrossed in a thrilling docu-drama about the secret life of cats, and you dozed off. Elizabeth the Third was curled comfortably in your lap, her warm vibrations lulling you into a pleasant dream. Upon hearing your breathing grow steady and heavy, Jumin found himself studying the relaxed planes of your face, a trembling hand rising to touch your cheek, to run the pad of his thumb over your lips— slightly parted, curving upward at some secret vision behind closed eyes. As he bent his head further to study you closer, you also shifted unconsciously, tilting your face directly into his, and your lips met— tentatively at first, and his eyes widened at the sudden, unexpected contact. But your lips were so soft, so warm and plush, and when he found himself unable to hold back, your own eyes fluttered open, meeting his intense gaze as he pulled you into his aching arms, kissing you with such unrestrained abandon that it moved you to tears._

_He brought you to climax over and over again in his bed that night, your cries of surrender and ultimate release echoing around you as he positively worshipped every inch of your love-starved form. Jumin’s brand of lovemaking was just what the doctor ordered, and you were addicted immediately._

_Things progressed at breakneck speed after that night, much to the chagrin of Jumin’s father, who had arranged marriage after ill-fated marriage for his only heir with the intention of climbing the social ladder, only to have Jumin decline each advance in favor of you._

_You. A virtual nobody, a commoner who had swept him clean off his feet and charmed your way into his heart with your quick wit and dry humor. He loved the challenge you presented him with, how you questioned his dealings with his father and others who pretended to know what was best for him. He loved that you loved Elizabeth, and she took to you almost immediately upon your initial arrival, often resting protectively at the foot of your bed in the early days of your recovery. You were perfect for him in every sense of the word, and he wondered sometimes if Saeran hadn’t gotten to you first…would he still feel such a strong desire to protect you?_

_Yes. He had felt a strange seizing of his heart when he met you at the first RFA Fundraiser after you became a member. Shaking your hand, he had smiled thinly, politely, the scent of your perfume and the sensual sweep of your hair overtaking him entirely. He was weak for you then, and it never really got better. Heartbroken that Saeran had won your affections so quickly that night, he was less-than-content to wait in the wings, knowing that eventually the mystique would wear off and you would need someone to pick up the pieces. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine it would be the circumstances it turned out to be, and he sometimes cursed himself for ever wishing any ill will upon your relationship._

_His proposal was quiet, intimate, and perfect. Just the both of you, a rooftop table for two, and the promise of a charmed, happy life was all you needed to know that you were exactly where you were supposed to be. You accepted, of course, and a wedding plan was set into motion the next day, with the date set a month away._

Your phone rang just as you arrived at the church. Carefully hanging the garment bag containing your dress, you answered just before the call was sent to voicemail, not bothering to check the name of your caller.

“Hello?”

Silence, then the sound of someone breathing. A quiet sniffle. Then,

“Hey. It’s been…a long time.”

Saeran. Tears sprang hot and fast to your eyes, and you covered your mouth to stifle a sob, sinking into a nearby chair. Your jaw worked, but you couldn’t find the words you wanted to speak aloud.

“Heh. Nothing to say? Well, I heard congratulations are in order.” A quiet chuckle on his end, but you could almost touch the sadness in his voice. 

“I…yes. Thank you. We’re very happy.” You cleared your throat before continuing, not sure how to proceed. “…Where are you, Saeran? Saeyoung’s been looking everywhere for you. We all thought you were— “

“Dead?” Again, that dark, despondent laugh. “Yeah, I probably ought to be. But I heard my favorite girl was getting married, and I wanted to say congratulations.” A beat, then, “I’m happy for you. You deserve good things.”

Your breath hitched, and the tears escaped, streaking down your blazing cheeks. You covered your eyes, elbow resting on the arm of the chair, unsure of how to respond to his guarded praise.

The door to your room was opened then, the click of the lock unsettling and loud in the relative quiet. Startled, you dropped your phone, and the screen shattered upon impact with the marble floor.

You cried out in frustration, and again in fear when that voice from the phone filled your ear, suddenly too close and too vivid for comfort.

He leaned against the door frame, ankles crossed, a bouquet of tiny, white flowers in his hand. He looked healthy, ruddy, even happy– a throwback to better days when your love had been new and exciting, not yet scarred with the marks of what was to transpire. A part of you wanted to run to him and let him fold you into his embrace, but you stood your ground, fingernails digging half-moon imprints into fisted flesh.

“What are you doing here?” you breathed, barely above a whisper. “If Saeyoung sees you…no, _if Jumin sees you—_ ‘

“Will you relax? I’m in and out, see? I’ll make it quick. I just wanted to bring you these.” He took two tentative steps forward and placed the flowers on a nearby side table, then retreated back to the doorway. “Lily of the Valley. It’s supposed to mean ‘return to happiness’ and…’ he faltered, choking on memories of days gone by. _“I’m glad you’re happy.”_

And he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared, any trace of him vanishing before another soul found chance to catch a glimpse.

Now, standing at the altar with your beloved, the flowers a reminder of love lost– and yet, a lifetime of love to possess– you beamed at Jumin, positively radiating with joy. He was so handsome in his tailored suit, strong, steady hands reaching to cup your face, sealing your union with an earnest kiss. 

Your attendants cat-called and hooted for joy, and you knew in that moment that you were going to be okay. 

No, more than okay.

You were _home_. You belonged.


End file.
